KPK Denies Yaqut's House Arrest Transfer Was Conducted Covertly

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has denied that the transfer of former Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest was conducted covertly. KPK emphasised that the change in detention status was an institutional decision.

“So far, there hasn’t been any. Because it wasn’t done covertly either, as the parties required by law to receive notification have already been informed,” said Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, at the KPK Building in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Thursday (26/3/2026).

Asep stated that one of the considerations for transferring Yaqut to house arrest was the investigation strategy to accelerate the handling of this case. He said that the parties who should receive notification of the detention transfer have been informed.

“Well, what I conveyed is a strategy related to the investigation, specifically on how we can achieve acceleration in handling this case. And one of them is, of course, public support, which we greatly hope for,” Asep said.

Asep emphasised that the transfer of Yaqut to house arrest was an institutional decision. He stated that the detention transfer was also carried out in accordance with procedures.

“So, regarding that request, of course, it has undergone a meeting or exposition, so it’s not a personal decision; it’s an institutional decision. And of course, it considers first whether the legal norms exist or not,” Asep said.

“What I mentioned earlier is that we see the legal norms exist. In the old law, it’s in the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), specifically KUHAP Law No. 8 of 1981, regulated in Articles 22 and 23. In Law No. 20 of 2025 or the new KUHAP, it’s regulated in Article 108, with paragraphs 1 to 11, so the legal norms exist like that,” he added.

It is known that Yaqut’s detention was changed to house arrest since Thursday (19/3). KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said that house arrest for Yaqut was implemented after KPK received a request from the family.

Yaqut’s detention was then transferred back to prison detention on Monday (23/3). KPK has re-detained Yaqut after he underwent a series of health tests.